Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-23
AMERICAS OLIVE GROVES.
The Ancient Fruit Now One Of
Americans Great Products.

From ancient writings, Including the
Holy Scriptures, it can be asoer tanned
that the olive is one of the oldest known
fruits. The Mount of Olives, near Jeru-
salem, is famous in history. Long before
butter was known olive oil was used in
the preparation of food. Large quanti-
ties of the oil have from time to time
been imported here from the shores of
the Mediterra anean Sea, whence most of
the product has been obtained. The
climate Of California, not being unlike
that of the Mediterranean. was consld-
cred suitable for the growtksbf the olive,
and an experiment was maGc which has
proved successful The tree is pretty
and ornamental. In springsime it is Gov.
cred with profusion of Waite flowers,
and in the winter it has an evergreen
foliage. When ready for the harvest it
is SO prolific that the branches bend
under the weight of the fruit. Olive
wood is also beautiful, and was chosen
as parts of the ornamentatiNa of the spa
cious and magnificent Solomoa's temple.
The oil is considered by many as some
thing sacred. As such il isused in con.
secrations and coronations The an
cients used the spray of olive leaves to
crown their great men, as it was believed
to be an emblem of purity and peace
1t was considered the highest honor to
be crowned with olive leaves. In time
wor an olive branch borne in the hand
was token of peace, and Is even now
spoken of as such.
The olive tree lives for long time.
Some Of the trees on the Mount of
Olives, in Judea, ARE said to be fifteen
feet in diameter and over two thousand
years old, while that in the Vatican at
Rome was o record Of over thousand
years. The olive is very hardy and will
endure treatment which would kill other
trees. If infected with insects the entire
head can be cut off and thrown away,
while the trunk will sprout again with |
renewed vigor. In Southern California it |
has prospered beyond expectation. Being |
sensitive to excessive heat or cold, its |
home is in the semi.tropic belt, repre-.
sented by the Pacific slope of the United |
States. 1t prospers best near the sea,
but can be cultivated a short distance |
inland. With ordinary culture the
olive in Europe will produce over
twenty gallons Of oil per acre, besides
allowing a large quantity of the fruit
to be used for eating. Although yet in
its infancy in this country, experts have
said that the oil produced in California
is equal to any which has been imported.
Growers say the California coast from
Point Conception to San Diego, is equal
to that between Geneva and Naples for
the production of olives. The importa-
tions amount to large sum annually,
and if the best olive oil can, as is claimed,
be produced here and in sufficient guam.
titles, that product will form another
addition to the wealth of the United
States. So far as the curing of the fruit
is concerned, experience is likely to teach
the proper treatment, as it has with the
raisin crop. The cuttings Of two trees
planted in 1876 yielded we'll in 1884
the ordinary time required for bearing
being ten years. The crop of these two
trees was then seventy-tive gallons of
fruit, which sold readily at 81 per gallon
after being prepared for the liable. When
taken from the tree growers realized
seventy-tive cents per gallon. The same
trees were loaded down with fruit this
season, and in February will produce a
large crop that can be readily sold at
the place of growth at eighty-five cents
per gallon, The trees are placed upon
hillsides, about thirth. FIVE or forty feet
apart. to allow for expansion, as they
will live and produce for centuries. An
acre of ground will hold about forty
trees. The small fruit is used for oil,
while the large or queen olive is picked
for eating.
Olive trees can be planted on rocky
lands where the vine would fail, and the
cost of planting the former is about one.
third of the latter. The crops are more
easily gathered than grapes, while the
outfit for preparing olive oil is about
one tenth of that necessary to produce
wine. The insect pests can be fought
much easier and with much less cost
than the phylloxera or other enimies
of the vine. Being SO prolific it becomes
sooner profitable to the grower, and each
year after bearing the olive tree pro-
duces good crop until it reaches its
full development, when it pays a much
larger revenue than vineyard, bearing
crop of from thirty to forty gallons
of fruit per tree. The olive oil is also
not so much affected as the vine by
drought. From the experiments already
made and their results it is believed
that the American olive groves will in
u few years become successful rivals
to those of the Mediterranean Y.